From David Adkins: David and Mary Adkins attended the graduation of their granddaughter, Emma Claire Bivins in Lebanon, Tn. On May 6th. She graduated from Volunteer College with an Associate Degree as a Veterinarian Tech. and already has a job with a veterinarian in Gallatin, Tn.  Sorry, there is no picture but David and I tried but his camera would not send them.

Abundant Life Worship Center will welcome Evangelist James S. Meeks and family to morning worship Sunday July 2^nd.  Service begins at 10:30 am.

LifeShare has announced a blood drive will be held at Martin Baptist Church on Sunday July 16 from 9:00 am until 1:00 pm.

On Tuesday, School Superintendent Alison Strong notified JROTC Colonel Mark Duffield that the school system was shutting down the JROTC Program. Duffield told the Journal it had to do with money.  He said Strong told him it was a matter of cost vs the number of students impacted.

Late word Tuesday evening from parent Sandy Thompson that there will be a meeting at the School Board office at 9:00 am Wednesday morning.  Thompson said she expected the Superintendent to be there and she expected there would be an explanation of why the JROTC program was being terminated.

The decision came as a shock to cadets and their parents.  Two of them, Sandy Thompson and Tamisin Lewis are working to rally support in the community to save the JROTC program.  Thompson’s son and Lewis’ daughters are pictured in their BDU uniforms.

Duffield and Senior Master Sergeant Lawrence Bunton’s contracts run through the end of June.  Those contracts with the school system are not being renewed, even though the Air Force pays half of their salary. 

Col. Duffield told the Journal it means there will be no JROTC at Red River High next year, or anytime in the future.  Duffield said they were not “on the chopping block” from the Air Force.  The unit had passed a recent Air Force inspection and several cadets had just completed the summer Cadet Leadership Course.  In addition, incoming freshmen were being signed up for the program next year.

Lewis has two daughters and Thompson has a son in JROTC. 

Thompson’s son, Zachary is Cadet Commander of the Color Guard.  Lewis said, “We’re just asking for a chance.  Our kids want a chance to prove they can do this.  It can mean life changing things.”  Thompson noted, “There was a big change in my kid as he gained confidence and drastically matured.  He set out his career path based upon JROTC and a military career.”  And she asked, “Isn’t this what school is supposed to do?  Prepare kids for their future?”

Both parents expressed extreme disappointment that the school system would take this action.  They said they were not contacted in advance, and none of the other parents or cadets were either as far as they’ve heard.

Thompson said,  “JROTC is no different than sports players and athletic scholarships.  It gives them options.  It helps them find a place to belong.”

The Annual Membership Drive open enrollment for the Red River Council on Aging will be on-going until it closes at the end of business Monday, July 17, 2023.  Persons who are 18 years of age and are residents of Red River Parish can enroll. 

The Annual Membership meeting for the Red River Council on Aging will be Wednesday, July 26, 2023 at 1:00 pm. It will be held at 1824 Front Street, Coushatta, LA.  All members are welcome and the public is invited.

The Shreveport office of the National Weather service said, “Oppressive heat is here to stay. A Heat Advisory is now in effect through Wednesday.  Widespread afternoon heat indices will range from 105-110 degrees.  Isolated areas could see values in excess of 110 degrees.  Take necessary precautions.

The heat is predicted to continue through Monday.  Here is the local forecast for Red River Parish:

Wednesday-Sunny and hot, with a high near 100. Heat index values as high as 108. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Wednesday Night-Mostly clear, with a low around 78. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Thursday-Sunny and hot, with a high near 102. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Thursday Night-Mostly clear, with a low around 79.

Friday-Sunny and hot, with a high near 102.

Friday Night-Partly cloudy, with a low around 79.

Saturday-Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 102.

Saturday Night-Mostly cloudy, with a low around 79.

Sunday-Partly sunny and hot, with a high near 99.

Sunday Night-Mostly cloudy, with a low around 78.

Monday-A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny and hot, with a high near 98.

By Teddy Allen

No one in real life ever wears what models in big city fashion shows wear.

You’ve seen clips of these things on television or, in a weak moment, clicked to see the newest styles, all the rave, “the newest line” by (Made Up Designer Names Alert!) Melik Boovoir or Salome deNeuve or Pepe Duboir.

The model looks like he or she is wearing either a pastel Hefty bag — how to you take a bathroom break with this thing on? — or something they stole off a scarecrow. Everything is really tight or really slouchy. Sometimes they have hats on their heads that look like things we used to make in Vacation Bible School.

Who wears this stuff?

Even at awards shows, most of the Who Looked Best On The Red Carpet gang appear to have lost a bet. Tip of the cap for the man or woman who bought something off the rack pulled the standard tux out of the back of the closet, shined their shoes, and showed up looking like a person you wouldn’t be scared to share either a cab ride or a hymn book with.

For the past 10 days or so, between thunderstorms and power outages and picking up limbs, most of us north Louisiana common folk were too busy looking for air conditioning and cable to watch LSU scrap its way to a seventh College World Series championship to notice that the Berlin Fashion Show was underway in Germany which, conveniently, is where Berlin still is.

Dapper dressers were all up in the Neue Natoinalgalerie to become one with the highlight of the week, the Saint Laurent show, quite a spectacle with fans taking phone videos of, as GQ reported, “the latest evolution of Anthony Vaccarello’s seductive menswear collection.”

The fashion writer continued, something along the lines of how “all eyes” would be on “nonstop action on and off runways elsewhere, too.” Yes: after the “hyper-exclusive” affair in Berlin, we are off to places like Florence and Milan, which precedes a “whirlwind blitz through a jam-packed Paris Fashion Week.”

Again, the only real people you ever see in these runway clothes are the people on the runways. And as soon as they’re off the runways, they put on jeans and T-shirts and look much, much sharper than they did wearing clothes that look like balloons.

Granted, when I was growing up my dad told me my idea of being “dressed up” was having my shoes tied. And God love him, he was right. I can tie a tie now and keep my oxfords shined, but the only sense I have of fashion I have is, “Does this look normal? Would this embarrass my grandmother?” It’s about one step ahead of Granimals.

My personal mechanic, old-school country music supplier, and fashion assistant is Shine Broussard, who is from Morgan City. (He goes by “Francois” during Fashion Season; his signature color is brown.) He has assured me that although he can’t “travel abroad” to the Big Shows this summer and fall, he is making the local circuit, which includes stops in Dubach (August 7-11, Denim Week), Greater Sibley (September 18-22, Burlap), Gibsland (October 2-6, Gingham), and Lower Summerfield (November 27-December 1, Dealer’s Choice).

“My main fashion advice,” said Shine, “is to remember that no one pays nearly as much attention to you as you think they do. Save your money and be comfortable and presentable and non-offensive. Good taste never goes out of style.”

Shine, who is a fashionista only during the fall shows, told me this on a break from changing out the transmission on a GTO his uncle willed him. This is a man you can trust.

So …

If you’re like Shine and grease is a common opponent, consider a Dickies jumpsuit. Otherwise, an iron, a white button down, shined shoes, an A-line, a Godet or flare dress, a business suit, jeans that fit, and a clean T-shirt, those are always in style. It doesn’t have to match: it just has to “go.”

Good fashion sense is good common sense.

Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu

Destination Science Campers Brennan Dromm, Mason Jones and Aaron Blanchard donned white coats and did cheek swabs in a biology lab Monday as Northwestern State University’s School of STEM kicked off the week-long science camp Monday.  Mason Jones is the grandson of Tom and Debbie Jones and the great-grandson of Lem and Margaret Jones of Coushatta.  He spends his summers with his grandparents in Coushatta.

Campers learned to look for bacteria under a microscope, plate the bacteria and study epidemiology.  Later in the week they were scheduled to learn about parasites and pathogens.

Throughout this week, students ages 10-14 will explore chemistry, zoology, engineering technology, physics, anatomy, physiology, veterinary science, ecology and natural science both in labs and outdoors. 

No one was disappointed.  Everyone applauded and sang along with the antics of Harvey Rabbit and Friends as they kicked off the Red River Parish Library’s summer program series for children.  This summer the theme is All Together Now.

The Library posted, “Tim and Laura never fail to deliver a great show. Had a super turnout considering the heat.  The library is always a cool place to be.”

There was a great crowd at the Library on Monday for the show.  Kala Sims, the Children’s Librarian, always puts together a great line-up of interesting, entertaining and educational programs.  It is part of the library’s Summer Reading Program, which is now underway.  The summer reading challenge for kids from two years old through seventeen runs through July 24^th.

Librarian Trey Lewis posted a reminder:  Remember due to the July 4th holiday and library closure we won’t have a program on July 3rd. We will have game day on the 6^th.

By Royal Alexander

What a sweetheart deal.  Two misdemeanors and pretrial diversion for countless crimes established by the Laptop from Hell.

It’s really no surprise to learn that Pres. Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, has received highly preferential treatment regarding the numerous criminal allegations against him, charges that would send most Americans and any Republican to federal prison for years.

It’s still important, though, to know with clarity how Joe Biden has corrupted the DOJ and the FBI to protect Hunter and himself.

What am I referring to?

This past week news broke that the Biden Department of Justice hindered, in numerous ways, the investigation of Hunter Biden.

Of course, for months, a lazy and compliant national media has spun the narrative that the investigation really wasn’t receiving any special treatment.  We now know that was false.  Two whistleblowers, one named and one anonymous came forward this week and gave sworn testimony.

The named individual, Gary Shapley, a 14-year IRS veteran, and the anonymous individual have told a story of “blocked search warrants, tip-offs to Mr. Biden’s (defense) team, squelched avenues of investigation, downgraded charges, and interference by Joe Biden’s appointees.” (K. Strassel, WSJ, 6-23-23). Shapley testified that the DOJ, its Tax Division and the Delaware U.S. Attorney’s Office provided Hunter Biden with “preferential treatment and unchecked conflicts of interest.” (WSJ, 6-23-23)

Shapley, head of an elite team of tax investigators, testified that his team was almost immediately prohibited from taking normal investigatory actions.

He was thwarted both in doing spontaneous questioning of witnesses and in searching for evidence because somehow the Hunter Biden defense team was tipped off and able to impede it.   Shapley was also not allowed to ask questions about “dad” or “the big guy”.  They were also prohibited from investigating campaign finance violations. 

It goes on and on.

Shapley provided further evidence of influence peddling when he revealed a WhatsApp message in which Hunter Biden tells a Chinese businessman:  “I’m sitting here with my father” and urges the businessman to fulfill the “commitment.”

Hunter Biden then warns the businessman to personally resolve the issue that night or “I will make certain that between the man sitting next to me and every person he knows and my ability to forever hold a grudge that you will regret not following my direction.” (K. Strassel, WSJ, 6-23-23).

There are also photos of Hunter Biden on his later-abandoned laptop showing him at President Joe Biden’s Wilmington, Delaware home on the day he included his father’s name in the WhatsApp message he sent to threaten his Chinese business associate, Henry Zhao, an official working with Chinese energy conglomerate CEFC Energy. (Newsmax, 6-23-23).

While Shapley did not provide evidence that Joe Biden was actually in close physical proximity to Hunter Biden as he threatened businessman Zhao, “if Joe Biden was sitting next to his son as he sent the message as it suggests, it would be a fatal blow to the president’s repeated claims that he never discussed overseas business deals with his son, and the photographs of Hunter Biden at what appears to be a family gathering at the Delaware home is the strongest indication that he was in close proximity to his father when he threatened the Chinese businessman.” (Free Beacon, 6-22-23).

In another email later that day Hunter Biden also mentioned “me and my family”, confirming an agreement for a $10 million contract for “introductions alone,” with bonuses for any successful deals that come about as a result of the Biden family’s efforts.

Still further, Shapley also points out that Hunter’s one-time business partner, Rob Walker, admitted to investigators that an “orchestrated” appearance of Joe Biden while out of office was made to “bolster” the odds of a “deal work (ing) out. “

For obvious reasons, Shapley recommended more serious felony charges than the minor counts to which Hunter Biden has now pled.

If this is not an example of influence peddling—and blatant corruption of our Constitutional principle of equal justice for all—then I don’t know what is.  If this is not what favorable treatment by prosecutors and glaring political interference which benefits the powerful at the expense of hardworking, law-abiding Americans looks like, I don’t know what it would look like.

This is rank corruption and those guilty of it need to be held accountable.  While that will not likely happen it is, nevertheless, important that the American people continue to be made aware of it.

Last week was vacation bible school at First Methodist Coushatta.  VBS workers said they saw a record number of children in attendance, especially among the youngest kids.

The first night of Stellar VBS kids learned why stars appear to twinkle, how Jesus is the light of the world, when life feels dark…shine Jesus’ light.  They ate moon pies, and made sun visors.  

Day 2 of Stellar VBS saw more kids come.  They learned about harmony and how to work with others to shine Jesus’ light.  They talked about Zacchaeus and watched planets orbit the sun.

On day 3 the kids ate space ice cream.  Then they talked about the joy of knowing Jesus as our light. And they sang about “This Little Light of “mine.”

And on day 4, the last night of Stellar VBS, the kids watched a rocket launch.  Then they studied about helping others, and learned how to praise our Heavenly Father. 

First Methodist posted, “Thank you to all the volunteers for making this week special for every child.  Thank you parents for lending us your children and trusting us to share the word of Christ with them.”

Report from the Red River Sheriff’s Office for June 16-22,  2023

This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

LCCM Policy Solutions is a non-profit established to advocate and educate legislators and the public on public policy based on conservative principles.

By utilizing a myriad of scholars, policy wonks, pollsters, and activists, we help craft and promote top conservative policy priorities for Louisiana.

From fiscal issues to social issues and everything in between, LCCM Policy Solutions is a beacon for those interested in advancing Louisiana to a more conservative run government.

Paid Content by LCCM Policy Solutions

A graveside service to celebrate the life of LaVerne De Loach, 92, was held at 10:00 a.m. Monday, June 26, 2023, at Social Springs Cemetery, Ringgold, Louisiana.

LaVerne was born June 6, 1931, in Coushatta, Louisiana, to Arthur L. Lowrey and Eunice Madden Lowrey. She went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, June 21, 2023, in Longview, Texas.

LaVerne was a homemaker and while at home she enjoyed making ceramics and truly was an artist. She was a gardener and loved her flowers and plants. LaVerne married the love of her life Truman C. De Loach on April 6, 1963. She had great faith as a Baptist and showed that in her daily life. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who will be greatly missed.

LaVerne is preceded in death by her parents; son, William Lee De Loach; sister, Dianne Prudhomme; and brother, Herman Lowrey. She is survived by her husband, Truman De Loach; sons, David De Loach and wife, Patti, and Stephen De Loach and wife, Jennifer; grandson, Brandon De Loach; granddaughter, Erika Hamilton; great-grandsons, Jay De Loach, and Gabriel De Loach; and nieces and nephews.

LaVerne DeLoach

June 6, 1931 — June 21, 2023

A graveside service was held at 10:00 am Monday, June 26, 2023, at Social Springs Cemetery.

Nolan Carter Mabile

January 24, 2004 – June 22, 2023

Funeral service was held at 4:00 pm, Sunday, June 25, 2023.

Johnnie Faye Rawls

March 23, 1939 – June 23, 2023

Funeral services was held at 2:00 pm Tuesday, June 27, 2023 at Rockett-Nettles Funeral Home Chapel.

Margaret Kathleen Adams Cason

August 20, 1931 – June 22, 2023

Funeral services was held at 10:00 am Monday, June 26, 2023 at Rockett-Nettles Funeral Home Chapel.

The Red River Parish Journal publishes “Remembrances” – unlimited words and a photo, as well as unlimited access – $70. The obituary will be included in the emails sent to subscribers.  Contact your funeral provider or RedRiverParishJournal@gmail.com. Must be paid in advance of publication.

Red River public schools remind everyone that the summer feeding program is underway.  Every Monday through Thursday until July 27^th there will be meals available from 11:00 am until 1:00 pm at the Red River High Cafeteria.  It is first come, first served while supplies last.

The Fourth Friday Fish Fry at Clara Springs Camp was last Friday afternoon.  Afterwards, the camp posted, “Thank you Grand Cane Baptist Church for helping us serve 321 people amazing fish at our June Fourth Friday Fish Fry.”  The next fish fry at the camp is scheduled for July 28^th.

CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic will host a grand opening to celebrate the expansion of its family medicine facility in Shreveport, located at 9220 Ellerbe Road on Wednesday, June 28.  The expanded clinic will help serve a growing need for care and services in the Shreveport-Bossier region. The facility offers a larger waiting room, more exam rooms, an on-site lab, radiology and x-ray services, pediatric and primary care, virtual appointments and more. It will be staffed with five highly skilled CHRISTUS Health clinicians.

A graveside service to celebrate the life of LaVerne De Loach, 92, will be held at 10:00 a.m. Monday, June 26, 2023, at Social Springs Cemetery, Ringgold, Louisiana. Officiating the service will be Pastor Michael Sanders.

LaVerne was born June 6, 1931, in Coushatta, Louisiana, to Arthur L. Lowrey and Eunice Madden Lowrey. She went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, June 21, 2023, in Longview, Texas.

LaVerne was a homemaker and while at home she enjoyed making ceramics and truly was an artist. She was a gardener and loved her flowers and plants. LaVerne married the love of her life Truman C. De Loach on April 6, 1963. She had great faith as a Baptist and showed that in her daily life. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who will be greatly missed.

LaVerne is preceded in death by her parents; son, William Lee De Loach; sister, Dianne Prudhomme; and brother, Herman Lowrey. She is survived by her husband, Truman De Loach; sons, David De Loach and wife, Patti, and Stephen De Loach and wife, Jennifer; grandson, Brandon De Loach; granddaughter, Erika Hamilton; great-grandsons, Jay De Loach, and Gabriel De Loach; and nieces and nephews.

Report from the Red River Sheriff’s Office for June 16-22,  2023

This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Nolan Carter Mabile

January 24, 2004 – June 22, 2023

Visitation will be held at Fairview Baptist Church from 2:00 pm until funeral services begin at 4:00 pm, Sunday, June 25, 2023.

Johnnie Faye Rawls

March 23, 1939 – June 23, 2023

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 pm Tuesday, June 27, 2023 at Rockett-Nettles Funeral Home Chapel.

Margaret Kathleen Adams Cason

August 20, 1931 – June 22, 2023

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 am Monday, June 26, 2023 at Rockett-Nettles Funeral Home Chapel.

Pugh Theis Huckabay, Jr.

March 02, 1942 – June 20, 2023

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am Saturday, June 24, 2023 at First Methodist Church of Coushatta.

Charles Smith

7/10/1950 – 6/12/2023

Service was Saturday, June 17, 2023 @ 1:00 P. M. Springville Missionary Baptist Church Coushatta, LA.

The Red River Parish Journal publishes “Remembrances” – unlimited words and a photo, as well as unlimited access – $70. The obituary will be included in the emails sent to subscribers.  Contact your funeral provider or RedRiverParishJournal@gmail.com. Must be paid in advance of publication.

It’s not too late.  Springhill Baptist Church still has a few spots available for Summer Camp Kidz.  The dates are July 13 through 16.

Contact Ms. Rhonda for questions or Ms. Carolyn @ 318-780-8413 to reserve your spot.

Stay Cool! See you at Summer Camp Kidz.

Join us Saturday, July 1st, at Anderson’s Produce for food, snow cones, and live music featuring Victoria Wells.  There will be a variety of produce ready, and food and snow cones for you to enjoy while you shop.

If you haven’t been to see us yet, this is the perfect opportunity to see what the farm has to offer. Just 45 minutes from Shreveport and 20 minutes from Natchitoches.  Bring your family and spend the day with us, you won’t want to miss it.

Anderson’s Produce and Plant Farm, 110 Anderson Ln, Coushatta, LA.  Call for details (318) 932-1432.

By Brad Dison

It was the 1969 Toronto Pop Festival and Malcolm “Mac” John Rebennack Jr.’s band was scheduled to perform.  Mac looked like something from a strange other world.  He had strands of beads and other trinkets interwoven into his hair and “powders coming out of his ears.” Strips of colorful rags hung from his clothing.  He used a walking stick which looked like its intended use was for casting spells rather than walking.  The 18-year-old musician was in perfect health and did not require any type of apparatus for walking.  The stick was just part of who Mac was.  When Mac walked in a room, everyone instinctually turned their gaze his way.

The concert was held at an outdoor venue, and it had been raining periodically throughout the day.  Mac and his band were onstage playing their unique mixture of jazz, blues, rock and roll, and funk which the media nicknamed “voodoo rock,” when the rain began to pour.  As if it were a part of the show, Mac raised the unique walking stick toward the sky and held it there for a few moments.  His eyes focused on the dark clouds.  Some say he mumbled a few words.  Suddenly, as if under Mac’s spell, the rain stopped completely.

Mac was born and raised in New Orleans’s middle class Third Ward.  His father owned and operated an appliance store.  In addition to household appliances such as washers, dryers, and refrigerators, Mac’s father sold sound systems and records in a variety of genres Mac later described as “gospel, bebop, real filthy party records, and hillbilly stuff like Hank Williams.”  Mac’s father also repaired appliances and sound systems.  Mac was first subjected to the gypsy world of musicians as a child when he accompanied his father on sound system repair jobs at local clubs.  Mac was more than a decade away from the required age to enter the clubs, but he was allowed since he was helping with the repairs.  Mac was entranced.  He recognized at this early age that he wanted to be a performer just like them.  Within a short time, Mac learned to play multiple instruments with almost no instruction.

By the time he was a teenager, he was writing songs for other artists and playing guitar for recording sessions.  Mac said, “New Orleans produced a lot of good piano players and some good drummers, but for some reason there weren’t a lot of guitar players around, so I kind of filled the need.”  Mac was always modest.  Aaron Neville recalled that “the ratty dude,” which is how he referred to Mac, “was a bad dude on guitar.”  But that changed when Mac was 20 years old.

In 1961, Mac was on tour with his friend, fellow New Orleans native Ronnie Barron.  When Mac and Ronnie were not performing, they spent most of their time at a local motel.  During their stay, Ronnie and the motel manager’s wife became friends, maybe more than friends.  The motel manager confronted Ronnie about the possible infidelity and an argument ensued.  In a fit of rage, the motel manager pulled a pistol from his pocket.  Mac grabbed the pistol with his left hand just as the motel manager pulled the trigger.  POW!!!   Because of Mac’s quick action, the bullet missed its intended target.  For Ronnie, Mac was in the right place at the right time.  For Mac’s left ring finger, Mac was in the right place at the wrong time.  The bullet passed through his finger and left it “hanging by a thread.”  Surgeons repaired his mangled finger to the best of their abilities, but Mac’s career as a guitar player had ended with that pistol shot.  Mac transitioned from guitar to bass and then to piano, his first instrument.

Mac fell into a deep depression and tried to dull it with drugs.  He was arrested for possession of narcotics and spent time in a federal prison.  Upon his release in 1965, Mac moved to Los Angeles, California where he became a session piano player for artists such as Buffalo Springfield and Sonny and Cher.  In 1967, Mac recorded his first album, Gris-Gris, with other transplanted New Orleans musicians.  While working on the album, Mac began working on a way to incorporate the Mardi Gras tradition that he was so fond of into his live shows.  He created a character for his live shows that he named after a 19th-centuryth century Louisiana voodoo priest.  In creating this character, Mac said he was “just tryin’ to hustle album deals, just tryin’ to hustle money.”  Rather than being a one-off character as Mac had planned, he became known as the character.  Malcolm John Rebennack Jr. may have been known as Mac to his close friends, but the world knows Mac as Dr. John.  He is most associated with his biggest hit single released in 1973 called “Right Place, Wrong Time.”

 Sources:

1. Browne, David. “Dr. John: The Joy and Mystery of a New Orleans Saint.” Rolling Stone, 24 July 2019, rollingstone.com/music/music-features/dr-john-joy-mystery-new-orleans-saint-861931/amp/. Accessed 18 June 2023.
2. “Dr. John – Right Place Wrong Time (Official Audio).” youtube.com, youtube.com/watch?v=W4PjWgiH-LQ. Accessed 7 Feb. 2023.

Red River Academic Academy posted, “We ended our year celebrating our students.”

“Students received awards in ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies, P. E., Most Improved, Perfect Attendance, Honor Roll, Principal’s Honor Roll, and character awards.  Special recognition was given to the students who attended the Academy as fourth, fifth, and sixth graders.”

Many parents attended the festivities.

Mentors Celebration

The Girl’s Mentors (Dr. Diane Newton, Deborah Babers, Jacqueline Rock, Joyce Halbmaier, and Katherine Smith) played traditional games (UNO, Left Center/Right, Q-Bitz, Dominoes and Checkers) with the girls.

The boys who signed up for mentoring were taught those traditional games by SRO Irvin Raphiel, Head Maintenance Ossie Lewis, and P. E. teacher John Bachman. Students, mentors, and male volunteer staff were treated to an ice cream sundae bar as our end of the year celebration.

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development advises motorists that on Thursday, June 29, 2023, the US 84 bridge over Bayou Pierre in Coushatta, Red River Parish will be reduced to one lane for routine bridge inspection.

This lane closure is scheduled to take place from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

This bridge is located approximately 3.6 miles east of I-49.

Flagging operations will be in place to allow traffic to pass through the bridge inspection zone.

Restrictions/Permits: Vehicles 12 feet wide or smaller will be allowed to pass through the bridge inspection zone. Larger vehicles will need to detour.

By Steve Graf

Over my years of traveling all over the South from one tournament to another, I’ve had a few funny and sometimes difficult encounters. Most of the time it’s something mechanical like a flat tire, a wheel bearing going out on my boat trailer, or motor trouble with my outboard engine like a lower unit going out. But sometimes Mother Nature decides to invade my territory with a snake trying to get into my boat or an occasional alligator who likes to make his presence known. But one recent event at Toledo Bend was a different kind of incident.

As anglers, we spend all day searching for fish we hope will put us in the winner’s circle or at least get a check. Practicing for an event can be physically exhausting and mentally draining. So, a good night’s sleep is very important for an angler to be able to function at a high level. The last thing we want is for our sleep to be disrupted in the middle of the night.

Well on the night of May 25th at Toledo Bend, I was in my deep sleep phase when I heard something outside my bedroom window. As anglers, we are all paranoid about someone stealing things out of our boat and are on constant alert. On this particular night, I awoke to a loud noise like someone was outside. There were three of us staying together at this VRBO house and we each had our own boat. The area we were staying in seemed to be a very quiet neighborhood, so to think that someone was outside going through our boats got my full attention. 

Just like the Night Before Christmas, “When out on the driveway there arose such a clatter, I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter. Away to the back door I flew like a flash, threw open the door to see all the trash.” Well, there he was, standing in the trash and enjoying some leftover wings from the previous guest. It turns out that the bandit was a massive raccoon who decided to order the trash can wings. Now as I opened the door, you would think this raccoon would scurry away. But not this guy; he was not intimidated by me at all. He actually had a look on his face like, “What do you want? Can’t you see I’m eating?”

Not looking to abandon the buffet of chicken wings he had found, he let me know really quickly, as he stood up on his hind legs, that I had better back off if I knew what was good for me. Now I’ve come across a few raccoons during my 62 years on this earth, but none as bold or as bad as this one. He was not going away easily, and it would take my best bluff to send him down the road to another feast.

It was at this point that I reached down and grabbed the lid of the trash can he had destroyed, and I started banging it and ran toward him. At first, he didn’t seem to even give me a second thought as he continued to devour his order of wings. Then I decided to get on his level as I bent over, with my lid for protection and gave him a hardcore stare which turned out to be a game changer for some reason. I had gained the advantage over this wing-eating bandit as he scurried off and headed back to the woods. 

Understand, raccoons are smart and very persistent, and I knew he would probably return to face me again, maybe with backup. I was right! As I got back into bed, the bandit returned and began to attempt to open another trash can by literally running and jumping on it. It was so loud that I could not believe my two fishing buddies weren’t getting up to see what was going on! They slept right through all the commotion and never even rolled over. Once again, I headed to the back door and faced this evil doer for the last time. As I opened the door, I ran directly at the chicken wing bandit and this time he ran off for good as I shouted, “And never come back!”

You never know what will transpire on a fishing trip, but sometimes you must sleep with one eye open just in case a bandit of the night shows up. Till next time, good luck, good fishing and don’t forget your sunscreen!